Clasp terminal



June 5. 1928. 1,672,025

E. C. GRASSMAN CLASP TERMINAL Filed Deo. 24, 1927 lNvENToR Egg/afl 6'. Gwzrmfg ATTORNEY Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD C. GRASSMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY C. SCHICK, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CLASP TERMINAL.

Application led December 24, 1927. Serial No. 242,421.

This invention relates to improvements in clasp terminals for strung pearl or bead bracelets, and more especially for such bracelets when used as a carrying bracelet or strap for Wrist watches, lockets and similar structures.

It is desirable in strung pearl or bead bracelets for the purposes above mentioned to provide mechanical terminal connections or clasp elements, which are made of metal, of as small dimensions o'r size as is possible so as not to detract from the jewel or gern appearance of the bracelet body, while at the same time it is desirable to both provide a mechanical clasp device which may be easily and quickly actuated to couple and uncouple the bracelet body from the watch or other article to be carried thereby, as well as to provide a strong durable and concealed anchoring means for the supporting strings of strands upon which the pearls or beads are strung to form the bracelet body.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a simple, comparatively small and neat clasp terminal for strung pearl or bead bracelets, which includes both a manipulatable means for detachably coupling the bracelet to a watch or other device to be connected therewith as well as a novel concealed anchor plate for anchoring the strings or strands upon Which are strung the pearls or beads comprising the bracelet body.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enux'nerated, will be clearly understood from the followingv detailed description of the saine.

The invention is illustrated :in the accord panying drawings, in which z Figure 1 is a front face View of a pearl or bead bracelet body equipped with the novel clasp terminals of the inst-ant invention, the same being shown operatively engaged with the end attachment loop of a locket or watch element to be carried by the bracelet; Figure 2 is in part a side elevation and in part a longitudinal sectional view of the same, taken on line 2--2 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a rear face View of the same.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section, taken on line 4-4 in Figure 2, but drawn on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through the novel clasp terminal; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the parts in disassembled relation.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described v1ews, to indicate corresponding parte.

Pearl or bead bracelet bodies usually cornprise a plurality of rows of pearl or bead elements 10, each row thereof being strung upon a carrying strand, preferably in the form of a small metallic link chain 11. The width of the bracelet is determined by the number of rows of the thus strung pearls or bead elements 10 which are assembled together in lengthwise parallel relation. Suitable transverse spacers (not shown) are interconnected between the link chains 11, to

retain the strung rows of pearls or beads against undue lateral displacement With relation one to the other, in the manner familiar to those acquainted With'the art.

The novel clasp terminals, made according to this invention, and which are adapted for connection With the ends of the bracelet body, each comprise a metallic structure, the parts of which can be easily produced by proper dies or otherwise to provide, when assembled, the cooperative structure elements `embodying the principles of this invention.

Each clasp terminal consists in a body member adapted to provide a top plate 12 formed at each side with longitudinally' extending and depending side members 13 having, adjacent to their rear ends, bearing openings 14. formed at its forward end with a transversely disposed downwardly and rearwardly curved hook member t5; and, if desired, the rear end of said top-plate may terminate in a comparatively short. transverse downturned flange 16. Said top-plate 1Q is provided adjacent to the base of the hook ineinber 15 With an opening 17 for purposes subsequently explained.

The reference character 18 indicates a movable bottom or keeper plate adapted to be pivotally connected with said body member so that its free end may normally lie in adjacent alignment to the free end of said hook member 15. The means for pivotally relating said bottom or keeper plate 18 to said body member comprises perforate ears 19 upturned from the sides of the former Said top-plate 12 is further adjacent to the rear ends thereof. Connected with the forward or free end ot' said bottom or keeper plate 18 is an upstanding post 2O having at its upper free end a combined stop nose and finger piece 21, which is preferably bent forwardly at substantially right angles thereto. Before assembling said bottom or keeper plate in operative rel/ation to said body member, a spiral compression spring 2Q is mounted on said post 20. lu assembling said bottom or keeper plate with said body member, the free end of said post Q() is tirst inserted through said opening 1T of said top-plate 12, and then disposed so as to engage the stop nose and finger piece over the top surface of the top-plate beyond the forward mare'in of said opening 17, the compression spring 22'being at the same time put under tension so as to thrust said bottom or keeper plate downward against the stopping action of the stop nose and finger piece, and in operative aligned relation to the hook member 15. The parts haw ing been vthus related the perforate ears 15) of the bottom or lkeeper plate 18 are brought into alignment with the bearing openings 14 so that a piyoting pintle Q3 may be passed therethrough to pivotally connect the parts together. I

rlhe reference character 24 indicates a transverse anchor plate having perforations 25 corresponding in number to the number of strings of pearl or bead elements which make up the bracelet body. Integrally formed with the forward edge of said anchor plate is a pivotal bearing means, preferably in the form of tubular knuckles 26. 'Vhen inserting the pintle 23 to connectthe body member and keeper plate together, the bearing knuckles 26 are first disposed betwkeenand in alignment with the perforate ears 19 so that the pintle may also pass therethrough to pivotally mount the anchor plate for rearward extension. The terminal links or rings of the chains 11 upon which the pearl or bead elements 10 ol the bracelet body are strung are engaged through the pcrt'orations 25 of the anchor plate to thus interconnect said bracelet. body with the clasp terminal in such manner that the counecting structure substantially concealed by the body member of the latter. while at. the same time a proper spacing of the strands of pearls or beads is maintained.

In the drawings I have shown a locket or watch case or similar body 27 having transverse loops Q8 at its respective ends. with which the novel clasp terminals above described may be separably engaged to operatively connect the bracelet body in carrying relation to the said locket, watch-case or similar body.

In operation the clasp terminals provided in connection with the ends of the bracelet body in the manner and according to the construction above described may be operatively connected with the loops by manipulating the same as follows:

The user inserts the fingernail beneath the combined stop nose and tingenpiece 21 and exerts an upwaril iitting pressure thereon to cause the post it) to lie withdrz i upwardly through the opening 1i' of the top plate 1;?. ythis operation compresses the spring and exerts an upwardly swinging eiiect upon the bottom or keeper plate 18, so that the free end of the latter is carried upwardly away from the free end of the hook portion 15 of the. top plate. This action serves to open or expose the hook portion so that the loop 28 may be inserted therein so as to engage the clasp terminal with the end of the loc'ket, watch rase, or similar article. lVhen the engagement of the clasp has thus been made the user releases the combined stop-nose and lingerpiece 21 so that the tension of the spring will exert a downward thrust upon the bottom or keeper-plate 1S to swing the same back to normal initial position, in which position it is opposed to the tree end of the hook member 15 and thus closes the latter against any displacement of 'the loop Q8. The stop-nose, as hereinabove stated, serves to determine the required initial position of the bottom or keeper plate 18 so that the tree end thereotl will be properly opposed in the said closing relation to the hook member 15. These operations will be clearly understood from an inspection of the drawings and especially from inspection of Figures 2 and 5 thereof.

It will be obvious that the arrangement and relation of the parts making up the clasp terminal as hereinabove described will permit or" the structure being reduced to comparatively small size in the direction ol' the longitudinal axis of the bracelet and it will also be apparent that the bottom or keeper plate is very easily manipulated and yet the means for engaging thesame with the linger are of such a character as not to unduly mar the exposed surface of the top plate especially when said surface is engraved or pierced to provide the same with design effects oi various kinds. Auother advantage ol' the structure isl that the n'ieans for oupling the pearl arrying strands with the clasp terminal is substarb tially coiicealed and yet is freely pivotal so thatv no interference with the desired ilexibility of the bracelet body particularly at the points of connection with the. loops of the locket, watch-case or the like occurs.

I am aware that some changes and variations in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the instant invention, and consequently it will be understood that the disclosure of the drawing and ydescriptive matter in the specication is to vbe rconsidered as illustrative lnerely and is not to be considered as limiting, except in so tar as may be required by the followingr claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a carrying bracelet for wrist watches or the like of a clasp terminal theretor, comprising a body member having depending side flanges and a hook member at its tree end, a keeper plate, means for pivotally connecting said keeper plate between said side llanges to underlie said body member with its free end normally aligned adjacent and opposed to the end ol said hook member, an opstanding post connected with the tree end portion of said keeper plate, said body member having an opening through which said post extends, said post having a combined stop nose and linger piece to engage the exterior side ot said body member to determine said normal position ot said keeper plate, a compression spring around said post between said keeper plate and body member to yieldably retain the former in normal position, and means to connect said clasp terminal with said bracelet body.

2. A clasp terminal for strung pearl bracelets, said clasp terminal comprising a topplate having depending side flanges and a hook member at its free end, a keeper plate having pert'orate ears adjacent its rearward end lor disposition between said side flanges, a pintle engaged through said side flanges and perforate ears to pivotally mount said keeper plate to underlie said body member with its tree end normally aligned adjacent and opposed to the end of said hook member, a rearwardly extending anchor plate pivotally mounted on said pintle, said anchor plate having means to receive and engage the pearl carrying strands ot a bracelet body, and means for yieldably retaining said keeper plate in normal position.

2l. A clasp terminal for strung pearl bracelets` said clasp terminal comprising a topiplate having depending side tlanges and a hook member at its tree end, a keeper plate having perforate ears adjacent its rearward end for disposition between said side flanges, a pintle engaged through said side 'flanges and perlorate ears to pivotally mount said keeper plate to underlie said body member with its free end normally aligned adjacent and opposed 'to the end of said hook member, a rearwardly extending anchor plate pivotally mounted on said pintle, said anchor plate having means to receive and engage the pearl carrying strands of ay bracelet body, an upstanding post connected with the treel end portion of said keeper plate, said top plate having an opening through which said post extends, said post having a combined stop nose and linger piece to engage the exterior side ot said top plate to determine said normal position ot said keeper plate, and a compression spring around said post between said keeper plate and top plate to yieldably retain the former in normal position.

el, A clasp terminal Yl'or strung pearl bracelets, said clasp terminal comprising a body member having a hook member at its free end, a forwardly extending keeper plate underlying said body member with its free forward end normally aligned adjacent and opposed to the end ot' said hook member, a rearwardly extending anchor plate also underlying said body member, said anchor plate having means to receive and engage the pearl carrying strands of a bracelet body, a common pivotal connection between said body member, keeper plate and anchor plate, and means for yieldably retaining said keeper plate in normal position.

5. A clasp terminal for strung pearl bracelets, said clasp terminal comprising a body member having a hook member at its tree end, a forwardly extending keeper plate underlying said body member with its tree 'lorward end normally aligned adjacent and opposed to the end of said hook member, a rearwardly extending anchor plate also underlying said body member, said anchor plate having means to receive and engage the pearl carrying strands of a bracelet botly, a common pivotal connection between said body men'iber, keeper plate and anchor plate an upstanding post connected with the 'l'ree end portion ol said keeper plate, said body member having an opening through which said post extends, said post having a conibined stop nose and linger piece to engage the exterior side ot' said body member to determine said normal position of said keeper plate, and a compression spring around said post between said keeper plate and body member to yieldably retain the former in normal position.

ln testimony, that l claim the invention set Yforth above I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day ot' December, 1927.

EDWARD C. GRASSMAN. 

